austerity
Translation
austerity, severity, plainness
Examples
The government imposed a period of austerity.
The government imposed a period of severe spending cuts.
They lived in austerity after the war.
They lived a very simple life after the war.
Grammar Patterns
((a period of austerity)) a time of economic hardship The government imposed a period of austerity.
Similar Words
Synonyms: severity, strictness, asceticism, plainness; Antonyms: luxury, extravagance
Etymology
From 'austere' + '-ity' (noun-forming suffix). 'Austere' comes from Greek 'austeros' (harsh).
Memory Tips
This is the noun form of 'austere'. It's often used in economics to mean 'cutting government spending'.